We provide technical assistance to meet the needs of specific public, tribal, and private land management and conservation organizations in addressing climate change, including demonstration of a range of adaptation actions representing diverse goals and land conditions.
Adaptation Demonstrations
Adaptation demonstration projects are real-world examples of how managers have integrated climate considerations into land management planning and activities. These projects use the Adaptation Workbook process to create a variety of adaptation actions to achieve individualized natural resource management, conservation and stewardship goals. Demonstrations come in all shapes and sizes, and we have worked with thousands of land managers to generate over 600 real-world examples of climate change adaptation.
Balancing Management Goals
The Nature Conservancy worked with NIACS (Michigan Tech and the Forest Service Northern Research Station staff) to explore climate-informed carbon stewardship management and conservation options for the Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preserve in southeast Wisconsin. This special project focused attention on how to balance carbon management goals alongside other goals such as native plant diversity of relevance to TNC and many other land management organizations across the region. In addition to maintaining and restoring high-quality, biodiverse natural communities including oak savanna and woodlands, non-forested wetlands, and dry to mesic prairies; preserve managers prioritized carbon stewardship within the context of ecosystem integrity and climate adaptation.
Support to National Forests
We provide extensive support for climate change adaptation across all lands in the region, including National Forests. Team members support the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region National Forests staff in addressing climate change in many aspects of their work. This includes using the Adaptation Workbook to help staff consider a changing climate and carbon in projects as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) planning process. The Adaptation Workbook has also been used to develop adaptation plans in Wild & Scenic Rivers and Priority Watersheds in the Eastern Region and beyond.
Forest Certification
Forest certification standards are expanding to address climate adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation, ensuring the long-term sustainability of forest resources. Many resources developed by NIACS are featured in the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s Climate-Smart Playbook for State Implementation Committees, and team members have worked to support committees in several states